Track and field legend Usain Bolt has warned fans not to “condemn and chastise” young Jamaican sprinter Antonio Watson.
Watson gestured in the shape of a gun and pretended to fire a shot at Edwin Allen High’s Bryan Levell as he crossed the finish line, came in for public criticism.
Bolt, who is arguably the greatest athlete of all-time, said people should not “condemn and chastise young Antonio Watson.”
“It important that we mold such talent so he can develop to maximize his full potential,” said Bolt.
Watson, who trailed Levell into the last 15 metres, got by to win the event in 20.74s. Levell finished second in 20.83.
Bolt, who won eight Olympic gold medals in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m, is hoping fans will take a different approach to help the Petersfield student.
“Reason with him yes about his action but don’t crucify him. It’s a learning lesson & teachable moment for all. Youths be strong and remember anything is possible don’t think limit,” said Bolt, who holds the 100m (9.58) and 200m (19.19) world records.
Watson has apologised for his Saturday’s (15 May) Champs 2021 actions.
He admitted the “gestures could have been misleading” but was quick to make it clear that he has “no desire to negatively influence others.”
Meanwhile, Jamaica College (JC) won their 22nd title and the first in 10 years, while Edwin Allen made it seven straight and eight overall in nine years.
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The other youth flashing his hand like a girl how nobody don’t complain about it
Zeico Murray 🤣🤣
Big up u self young youth lot worse than that is going on in the world today God be with you 🙏
When they do it all is well
Uno shut the fuck up ,gun start the race an a gun finish it.
Why we jamaican always condemn our own he is a young man and he apologized so let move on alot us so worse than him
Stop use gun to start the race and blow a horn then
Some of you on this thread is a bunch of hypocrites. This young man has done what many had done in the past at same occasion year after year after year, but we were so blind to see then. Thank God we can see young Antonio now to lambast him as if he is the reason for the crime figures today. But while you hypocritical self righteous woke-tivist are at it, I am sure many of you have some criminal in your family that the police would want to put behind bars. Do this country a favour, report them to the police and leave the young man alone.
Bolt was very careful in his statement. He never endorsed the action. He just said that we should give him a break. Bolt know better.
Blessing youth you was just celebrating your big win good job Bolt the boss blessing
Both kc an calabar always doing this at the finish line for fun stop bring down the youth an pray for him to go further
Too much gun related gun games 🎮, still not excepted .
A so them make it bad fi them self an make ppl start fi pree them dumd
Good move Bolt , young man I know I am going to see u on my tv representing Jamaica in the Olympics. God hands are on u ,dutty mouth cant stop u .
Latoya Campbell amen
I have seen over the years of champs history where a lot of athletes have done the same thing. So my question to those who see it negatively is it because he directed the motion to another athlete? Or is it general criticism in regards to your opinion?
Guys…while I don’t condone the gunplay. The “gun salute” has been entrenched into our culture. Notwithstanding, this particular display provoked a more sinister rendition. “Pointing, aiming, discharging discharge! discharge! Second gun; Pull from waist band, Selecting new round? Man know him thing sah. 😳
Unfortunately too many of our gunmen are our youth and his direct gun-play discourse on a fellow athlete could have provoked a real pride-retaliation. 😢
God forbid…but wi know how wi tan.
Thank God the bleachers were empty…because there was a time He might not have made it back to his bus.
Keith Spence utter nonsense
In my opinion something to think about is his mind set on gun is he handling gun why just came out with that motion he didn’t see any other person done it maybe he needs a background check is gun on his mind or what it is a big issues why that gesture something to think about
Ann L Simmes Simmes he has a gun tattoo on his left up arm
Itz Mhe Deva Boo really maybe they need to dig deeper into is affairs and what is he up to
Ann L Simmes Simmes yeah it is the reason why they attack him
Itz Mhe Deva Boo He maybe plays too much gun related games 🎮 😏
Him lucky nuh
Elizabeth Cartwright smh if that was so
Itz Mhe Deva Boo I was wondering, how student have tattoo? A him run the school.
Jerome Brown go ask him nuh
Itz Mhe Deva Boo 😂
Jerome Brown 😂😂🤣🤣
Ann L Simmes Simmes go sit you rass down two finger is a regular gesture. He is not the first to show such gesture and will definitely not the lasr
Ann L Simmes Simmes woman shut the fuck up .
Ann L Simmes Simmes Ize not a gun man n whenever I always stink a gun finger so what’s your point Aunty?🙂
Càrlos Máyers time will tell let God be the judge one love
Ann L Simmes Simmes poi poi
The same Jamaicans bawling about crime rate sees nothing wrong…. anyway your apology is accepted; I support you as a young athlete and I wish you all the best in your future career
Si how fass unuh si dis kmt give d youth a break weh unuh fi si unuh nuh si big shout out to d Peter’s field youth that’s how jamaican celebrate when they’re excited I dont see nothing wrong wid it
Am supporting you
Stop the gun play all together.
Disqualification for any unsportmanship behavior.
Let’s learn to accept victory with grace and respect each other.
That’s what makes us human.
This is school time, molding time…let’s make the most of it.
Keith Spence lol y’all too sensitive, excuse me sir would you like a pad to go with that ?
Andre Rambana Jermain Spence brrrrrp! Tun on e k! 🐊🤣
Andre Rambana No worries kiddo,
I see you took it personally. No thanks…keep the pad🤮
…you’ll get it soon enough.
Demario Maitland 😂😂😂
Andre Rambana These are my children. They wouldn’t dare disrespect Usain or Shelly Ann although they won. Ask Stephen Francis.
It’s about honor over pride.
I hope you get one day…
Keith won the class III 200m at Champs. The Palmers of Wolmers and I are still best friends and we met at the fishish line.
Keith Spence tbh sir, I apologize. It was just a joke and nothing to take personal. I use to attend wolmers and don’t know of palmers and such but hey i think it’s pretty cool you know these people. Respect g. P.S. I still don’t think it’s a problem with the gun gesture.
Andre Rambana Respect Andre…
Life is a circle maybe our mistake was not a gun salute but we make mistakes everyday in this life… as adultswe don’t have it all figured out we don’t have it all together and until we die we’re still learning… talking away something someone worked for is not a solution to any problem.. good mentoring and guidance in the right direction is what will make him a better person…we have kids whatever we think is fair for them should be what we want for others…words have life careful what we put out there it will fall right back in our laps or our kids.
Youthful exuberance this will be replaced by positive maturity in time to come
Leave the youth and don’t kill him, later when him start to shine plenty going to hop on
Right away them kill the youth vibes.He might not even want to compete again.
JAMAICANS please wake up
Stop allowing the law breakers to stop us from having fun.
This past weekend at the Issa boys and girls championship a young runner upon winning his race made a jokingly jester to the runner up to his left and right and it was blown out of proportion to the extent that the athlete had to apologize.
Now I think that the athlete having to apologize was a bag of crap it would seem as if some of us just sit around always thinking the worst of everyone trying to get ahead,because I would like for one person who honestly could say what was done wrong.
Looking at the big picture right now I think all who think he was wrong for what he did could be consider to be a set of hypocrite because the student entered the race and before he could start the race he had to wait for a gun man by the name of the starter to fire a shot before he could run nobody said anything about that but a student with no guns just his hand making a jester is deemed to be in sighting violence , I just don’t get it.
Rayon Wong couldn’t have said it any better! Waste a time dem mhon wid dem dam trivial self. KMDT…..
Rayon Wong OMG, I completely forgot about the starter gun! The boy apologised why dem nuh hop off a him back..no sah!
Rayon Wong well said pack away stupidity
No harm ment by the youth it was just out of joy
Hear you honourable but you know a badmind a kill dem. Country boy destroyed d biggies again
Low z bombart yute! A who him beat wid stool? Wey unu fi pay attention to unu naah do it! KMDT it’s just spontaneous in the heat of the competition .. the youth don’t meant one thing, suh mi Nuh know why unu a nyam up unu self bout!
Youthful Exuberance.!
Leave that young man alone please.
Well said Mr Both
Just needs a bit of sorting out, mentally. Refocusing of values…and ofcourse a public apology to his ooponent
Why the hell people don’t leave the young man alone because he is not in a top class schools
I support also cause all of us do it
What is a Bolt Request Support?
Just bcaz is a country youth why unno no bash kc jc cbar and others traditional school who doing the same look at the queen at world games she fly the clip too wow sad days for these boasty slaves
😃 Basil Barton, I said the same thing…look how the queen did it on the international scene & no one said this.
I personally believe some of the criticisms are harsh, but i don’t believe anyone is really trying to tear down this young man, the criticisms are not about him personal but about the gesture. Sir Usain Bolt. Is a legend in the athletic world and he did not become a legend by gesture. Hard work and dedication, discipline, and the grace of God. That i believe got him there.
Joe, before the Olympics 100m race in London Bolt did the same gesture. And he was not condemn for it. Also at Camps 2019 the KC athletes fired nuff blanks at the C-bar supporters after winning their respective races and nothing was said. It seems as if we have a double standard here.
There’s a reason for is action the likkle chattie mouth bwoy who he beat was yapping a lot before the race, fire blank ina him mouth yes dada👊🏾my OPINION & I’ve never seen no one get arrested for a gun finger action, low di youth 😶
Toni British haha
Toni British man crank it up a reload, that mean him we beat him again a day bun the bwoy.
Unu corrupt bad
Andre Bennett look how them tun the gun right in a the crowd everybody dead and the ute just tun it on one person alone and them a crucify him
Lengend Brazil Anthony then nuh that mi a say
Andre Bennett thanks for showing dem because dem a do like a the first dem a c it
Lengend Brazil Anthony real tlk
Andre Bennett corruption cah stop… country vs town school morality
Andre Bennett Always a fight out the rural boys. Whether a football or tracks, dem a go bash wi.
Lengend Brazil Anthony Go and watch the video..It was more than just a gun finger..
Clardine Gray and all the rest were more than just gun fingers then, everybody just a chastise the youth for celebrating
Clardine Gray he was showing the gun tattoo on his upper left hand after the race
Itz Mhe Deva Boo didn’t that tattoo say Godspeed?????
Sheena Man Utd Gordon no
Sheena Man Utd thats
I don’t know why they all making a big deal out of that the man was just being joyful he didn’t mean anything by it and he apologized for the action…..its called habit. Give the young a break
Shooting always a gwaan a champs so a wah now. Great move Mr Bolt.
Who are these people who want to put the weight of Jamaica’s crime problems on this kid. The race start with a gun… Really….. What’s so wrong… we’ve always celebrated with gun finger…. Enjoy your winnings young man…. Everyone who have a problem hole a blank… Kmt
Blatt up yow
Naah judge the youth, anybody would be happy in that situation and do something stupid, hope him reach far…. talent unleashed💯💯💯💥💥💥💥
Exuberant jubilant excited …youth in action…see nutten wrong…
Black ppl loves gunning down each other. There is a love for negatively in our culture. Then b the same ones saying stop the violence in our community while worshipping & begging up violent ppl & violent acts against each other.our mind set toward ourselves is violent on just about any stage
Leave the kid alone.
Yes y are these people seeking to tear down the youth especially big ole tvj. before Dem go do some positive research on the positive development that is taking place in the country
I am💯%in support of Antonio Watson. The next Usain Bolt. Greatness awaits him. Respect Usain Bolt
Listen I don’t see the biggy bcoz many athletes do so on Kc crowd su bye with this crap!
Evasive Shay Ferguson
Andre Bennett rgt kmt
Good move.. the yute no do ntn wrong he was just celebrating
I only hope he switch aligens
Suzzette Wright to where
People before have done worst and no one say anything; please guide thes kids guidance and stop treating them like they are criminals.
Respect Bolt. I am glad that someone with sense speak up. The way they are treating this kid is wrong. They need to give him guidance and stop mentally destroying this kid.
If the youngster from Edwin Allen was offended by Watson’s action then he should apologize. But if he wasn’t then Watson has nothing to be sorry about.
Lol Who was he shooting at because the stadium was Empty🤣🤷🏾♀️
Awesome
U go dennis
World record is 9.58 for the 100m
Respect that move Sir. Bolt..this young man WILL go places.